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Governor Mary Fallin
file:///Y|/News_Letters/Newsletters/Ok%20Now%20Govs%20Columns/2012-10-02%20newsroom_article.php.htm[11/26/2012 1:01:57 PM]
Home / News Room / Oklahoma is taking the Lead in Move Towards Energy Independence
Print Article
Governor's Columns
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Oklahoma is taking the Lead in Move Towards Energy Independence
Governor Mary Fallin’s “Oklahoma Now” Column
By Governor Mary Fallin
This Thursday, energy industry experts, executives and employees will join public officials at the Governor’s Energy Conference in
Oklahoma City. They will represent virtually every sector of the energy industry, including oil and natural gas, wind and solar power, biofuels
and nuclear energy.
While these men and women come from diverse backgrounds and fields – academic, corporate and political – they all have two things in
common: they are on the cutting edge of one of the most important job creating industries in the world; and they are leading the charge
towards American energy independence.
For decades, energy independence was thought to be out of reach. New drilling techniques like hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling,
the discovery of enormous reserves of natural gas in the U.S. and the development of alternative energies have changed that.
Now, energy independence is not just possible, it is critical. The U.S. cannot and should not remain addicted to foreign oil, much of it
supplied by hostile regimes. Fully developing our energy resources is important for national security reasons, and equally important for our
economy.
Oklahoma is and will continue to play an important role in that push for energy independence.
To ensure that Oklahoma continues to fully develop its resources, I introduced Oklahoma’s first comprehensive energy plan last year last
year, entitled “Oklahoma First.”
In it, Secretary of Energy Michael Ming and I outline a variety of initiatives designed to support every corner of Oklahoma’s energy sector.
We also laid the groundwork for a partnership with the state of Colorado, which agreed to join us in leveraging our purchasing power in an
attempt to acquire more affordable compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles for our state automobile fleets.
Our two state fleets have well over 10,000 cars and trucks between them. Introducing CNG vehicles to these fleets will save taxpayer
dollars on fuel costs and encourage the creation of CNG infrastructure and fueling stations, which in turn will make it easier for families and
businesses to also use CNG.
I’m proud to report that our two-state agreement caught the eye of a bipartisan group of governors and state purchasing directors across the
country, and we now have 22 states supporting the initiative.
Those 22 states introduced a Request for Proposal (RFP) earlier this year, asking car manufacturers and dealers to come forward with a
proposal for affordable CNG cars and trucks for purchase.
About Agenda Serve Oklahoma News and Media Links Contact the
Governor
Governor
MARY FALLIN
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Governor Mary Fallin
file:///Y|/News_Letters/Newsletters/Ok%20Now%20Govs%20Columns/2012-10-02%20newsroom_article.php.htm[11/26/2012 1:01:57 PM]
Home / News Room / Oklahoma is taking the Lead in Move Towards Energy Independence
Print Article
Governor's Columns
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Oklahoma is taking the Lead in Move Towards Energy Independence
Governor Mary Fallin’s “Oklahoma Now” Column
By Governor Mary Fallin
This Thursday, energy industry experts, executives and employees will join public officials at the Governor’s Energy Conference in
Oklahoma City. They will represent virtually every sector of the energy industry, including oil and natural gas, wind and solar power, biofuels
and nuclear energy.
While these men and women come from diverse backgrounds and fields – academic, corporate and political – they all have two things in
common: they are on the cutting edge of one of the most important job creating industries in the world; and they are leading the charge
towards American energy independence.
For decades, energy independence was thought to be out of reach. New drilling techniques like hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling,
the discovery of enormous reserves of natural gas in the U.S. and the development of alternative energies have changed that.
Now, energy independence is not just possible, it is critical. The U.S. cannot and should not remain addicted to foreign oil, much of it
supplied by hostile regimes. Fully developing our energy resources is important for national security reasons, and equally important for our
economy.
Oklahoma is and will continue to play an important role in that push for energy independence.
To ensure that Oklahoma continues to fully develop its resources, I introduced Oklahoma’s first comprehensive energy plan last year last
year, entitled “Oklahoma First.”
In it, Secretary of Energy Michael Ming and I outline a variety of initiatives designed to support every corner of Oklahoma’s energy sector.
We also laid the groundwork for a partnership with the state of Colorado, which agreed to join us in leveraging our purchasing power in an
attempt to acquire more affordable compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles for our state automobile fleets.
Our two state fleets have well over 10,000 cars and trucks between them. Introducing CNG vehicles to these fleets will save taxpayer
dollars on fuel costs and encourage the creation of CNG infrastructure and fueling stations, which in turn will make it easier for families and
businesses to also use CNG.
I’m proud to report that our two-state agreement caught the eye of a bipartisan group of governors and state purchasing directors across the
country, and we now have 22 states supporting the initiative.
Those 22 states introduced a Request for Proposal (RFP) earlier this year, asking car manufacturers and dealers to come forward with a
proposal for affordable CNG cars and trucks for purchase.
About Agenda Serve Oklahoma News and Media Links Contact the
Governor
Governor
MARY FALLIN
Share | Print | Print FAQs | Contact | Sign up for Email Updates | News | Site Map | Calendar | RSS Feeds